A visit to Epidaurus in the Peloponnese is one of the great Greek classics. A UNESCO World Heritage site, don’t miss the ancient theater with its incredible acoustics, and the sanctuary of Asclepius, dedicated to the god of medicine. This easy and enjoyable visit can be made from Athens over the course of a day, or can be easily integrated into a tour of the Peloponnese. Practical information on Epidaurus, how to visit Epidaurus (with or without a guide)? Where to go and where to sleep? Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your visit.
The archaeological site of Epidaurus includes several sites or remains of interest:
- The ancient theater of Epidaurus, with its exceptional panorama and acoustics
- The 4th-century BC sanctuary of Asclepius
- The 180m-long stadium where the Panhellenic Games were held
- A museum…
In another article, we propose to give you some historical outlines so that you don’t miss anything during your visit to Epidaurus.
The site of Epidaurus: schedules, rates and online reservations
Opening hours
Concerning the opening hours: the site is open all year round. In winter from 8:00 to 17:00. In summer from 8:00 to 20:00 (from April to August), from 8:00 to 19:00 (in September) and from 8:00 to 18:00 (in October). Please note that there are special opening hours on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, and on the eve of public holidays, see the official website.
The site is also closed: January 1st, March 25th, May 1st, Easter Sunday, December 25th and 26th.
Rates
- Full price 20€
- Reduced 10€: especially for European citizens over 65 from October 1 to May 31. See the official website for the list of people entitled to the reduced rate.
- Free for young Europeans up to age 25, and up to age 18 for non-Europeans.
The site is free for everyone on certain days of the year:
- March 6 (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
- April 18 (International Monuments Day)
- May 18 (International Museum Day)
- the last weekend of September each year (European Heritage Days)
- October 28 (Ochi Day – Greek national holiday)
- every first and third Sunday of the month between November 1 and March 31.
The official website of Epidaurus is not always easy to find. Here it is, you will find all the necessary information in English.
Where to buy tickets for Epidaurus?
To book your tickets via the official website, go to Hellenic Heritage e-tickets and select “Sanctuary of Asklepios”.
You can also buy your full ticket on the Get Your Guide website for a few extra euros, also on Civitatis, or directly on site.
How to visit Epidaurus with a guide?
Organized tours
If you are looking for an all-inclusive package, there are day tours available. We have found one that allows you to see Mycenae-Nauplia-Epidaurus for a hundred euros per person. Be careful, it’s fast but you are accompanied by a English-speaking guide (and transportation from Athens is of course included). As well as this day trip Corinth-Mycena-Nauplia-Epidaurus with entrance tickets and transportation from Athens included, as well as an English speaking guide.
If you want more time and freedom, opt for the visit Nafplio-Epidaurus. It’s also cheaper! However, guided tours are not included and the tour guide speaks only English (transportation from Athens included).
Finally, you can opt for the english-speaking “driver-guides” of Welcome Ride. They do not accompany you to the sites, but are able to drive you around in a comfortable, private vehicle and give you directions to the sites you are visiting and to do the tour at your own pace.
How to get to Epidaurus?
Epidaurus is located about 150km from Athens, in the Argolid, the easternmost “finger” of the Peloponnese. The area is beautiful, the hills planted with olive trees and orange trees overlook the sea. You can easily combine the visit to the site of Epidaurus with the village of Palio Epidavro, Nafplio Hermioni and/or Mycenae.
By car
The easiest and most flexible way to get to Epidaurus is by car. It takes two hours to drive. Until the Isthmus of Corinth, you take the highway, then a very beautiful national road but which turns a lot to reach the site.
You can easily rent a car in Athens for the day. It is not very expensive. We recommend you to make a price comparison of the car rental companies.
By bus
The cheapest way to get to Epidaurus from Athens is to take the KTEL bus. During the season (May-October), the bus leaves Athens and drops you off at the Propilo café, 1.5 km from the site. There are twice a day. You can consult the schedules and schedules and rates on their website .
There are organized tours to Epidaurus from Athens. They include the bus ride and sometimes the tour, as seen in the paragraph above.
Private transfer
It is possible to book a private transfer. It can be interesting if you are several. Because you will go at your own pace and discover the sites of Corinth, Mycenae, Nafplio and Epidaurus during the day. We recommend the Welcome Ride drivers who are English speaking and know the history of the places visited.
How to get to Epidaurus during the festival?
You can opt to drive to a performance during the festival, but the road is long and dangerous at night. There is private transportation from Athens, which leaves around 4pm and returns after the performance. We recommend the following Why Athens .
Also note that the KTEL buses offer a service during the festival. See their schedules and rates on their website .
Where to sleep in Epidaurus?
Sleeping near the site of Epidaurus is not very interesting. The village of Lygourio is not particularly pretty, but it is true that you will be in the early hours to enjoy the site and therefore there will be much less people. Here are the selected by Booking.
We suggest you to sleep in the charming village of Palio Epidavro (the old Epidaurus), the opportunity to discover by sea kayak the ruins of the sunken city of ancient Epidaurus. Or you can continue your journey to Nafplio a lively Venetian city where you can easily find accommodation and food.
Finally, we also suggest a stopover that we particularly like in the fishing village of Ermioni (or Hermioni). This peninsula, an hour’s drive from the site of Epidaurus, is very pretty and ideally located for an excursion to Hydra. Many accommodation solutions in this small port on Booking.
If you are passionate about archaeological sites, continue your journey in the Peloponnese to discover other sites classified by UNESCO in Greece: Mycenae, Olympia, Mystra…
Sophie B.
